In optical communications transmission, transmitting and/or receiving arrangements are used to couple light signals into a waveguide and/or to detect optical signals received by a waveguide. For data communication applications, compact and low-cost transmitting and/or receiving arrangements are required both for multi-mode optical waveguides and for single-mode optical waveguides.
There are known, for example from EP 0 684 651 A2, transmitting and/or receiving arrangements in which a transmitting and/or receiving element is arranged in a hermetically sealed manner in what is known as a TO package. TO packages are standard packages known in the prior art for optical transmitting or receiving elements, the form of which resembles the case of a (classic) transistor, which however have on the upper side a glass window for light to enter and leave. Signals are fed in via contact pins, which are led away downward from the TO package. Transmitting and/or receiving arrangements for optical signal transmission with TO packages have the disadvantage that they are only suitable to a limited extent for high-frequency applications. Use in the frequency range of several Gbit/s and more is only possible with special individual adaptation of the electronics.
Furthermore, in the prior art there are known transmitting and/or receiving arrangements in which special, hermetically sealed high-frequency packages which allow lateral leading-through of the optical waveguide or optical beam are provided. Such high-frequency packages with lateral lead-through are very complex and expensive.